Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says satellite imagery has found objects possibly related to the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. However, Thursday's search ended after nothing was found, but the investigation will begin again on Friday.

Experts warned that the objects, situated about 2,500 km (1,553
miles) south-west from the Australian city of Perth, picked up in
the satellite imagery are "relatively indistinct," yet
large enough to warrant sending a research team to investigate
exactly what the pieces are.

Two objects have been spotted in the Indian Ocean, Abbott told
the Australian parliament.

"New and credible information has come to light in relation
to the search...in the south Indian Ocean," Abbott said,
according to Reuters. "The Australian Maritime Safety
Authority has received information based on satellite imagery of
objects possibly related to the search."

“The task of locating these objects will be extremely
difficult...and it may be they do not relate to the
aircraft,” he added. Although Thursday's search is over,
after being hindered by cloudy weather, the investigation will
resume on Friday morning.

Abbott said a reconnaissance team is on the way to retrieve the
suspected debris. An Australian P-3 Orion aircraft is due to
arrive at the scene around 14:00 local time (03:00 GMT). Three
more aircraft were also sent to the site, according to Reuters.

Abbott said he has notified Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Thursday marks the 13th day in the search for MH370, as five
merchant ships in the southern Indian Ocean are working in
conjunction with surveillance aircraft from Australia, the United
States, and New Zealand.

John Young, emergency response division general manager at the
Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), speaking at a press
conference on Thursday, said: “The image is in the vicinity
of the search area defined and searched in the past two days.
Further images are expected after commercial satellites were
redirected to take high-resolution images of the areas of
interest.

Young then provided some information on the makeup of the
recovery mission.

“Four aircraft have been reoriented to locate the objects,
approximately 2,500 km south-west of Perth, as a result of this
information," he said.

“A Royal Australian air force Orion aircraft arrived in the
area about 1:50 PM this afternoon. A further three aircraft have
been tasked to the area later today, including a Royal New
Zealand air force Orion and a United States Poseidon
aircraft.

“The ships and aircraft are searching for any signs of the
missing aircraft. Weather conditions are moderate in the southern
Indian Ocean where the search is taking place. However, poor
visibility has been reported and this will hamper both air and
satellite effort.”

Meanwhile, investigators are searching other possible leads in
the mystery of the disappearing commercial airliner, including
the private lives of the pilots.

On Thursday, it was reported that the FBI is analyzing flight
simulator data from the home files of the MH370 pilot after the
Malaysian government sought its help in retrieving electronic
files deleted last month.

A government official spoke to AP about the investigation on
condition of anonymity while confirming that the FBI has already
been given the data. Files with records of simulations undertaken
using the device were deleted by the pilot on February 3,
according to Malaysia's defense minister.

Meanwhile, authorities in the Maldives are investigating reports
that islanders saw a "low-flying jumbo jet" on the day
MH370 disappeared.

The investigation was instigated by a report on the Haveeru news
website that several locals had spotted a large plane flying over
the remote southern island of Kuda Huvadhoo on March 8. Airport
authorities in the small island ocean – located in the Indian
Ocean – said there was so far no “credible” information to back
up the claim. The islands' National Defense Force said that no
trace of Flight MH370 had been picked up on radar.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 carrying 239 people left Kuala
Lumpur on March 8 destined for Beijing. The plane changed course
via the cockpit’s computerized Flight Management System, not by
manual control, American officials suggested this week.

The Boeing 777 plane mysteriously disappeared around one hour
after takeoff.